It's Not Easy
by Bewitched
Summary: Season 2: A new demon causes serious problems as the gang is trying to fight Angelus. Especially, for Xander who's always had his own special kind of demon mojo. Will they be able to fight one of their own?
1. A Bad Feeling

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these wonderful characters. I'm just borrowing them for my own entertainment. 

Spoilers: This is set after "Phases" in Season 2. Oz is a werewolf, Xander and Cordelia haven't come out of the closet (literally), Willow's nowhere near the closet (figuratively and literally) and Angel is Angelus.

Author's Note: This chapter is short, more will be coming shortly. Please take time to review. Constructive Criticism is deeply appreciated.

* * * * *

"I have a bad feeling about this," Xander said as Buffy dropped into the sewer tunnel behind Willow and him.

"Well, that's certainly comforting," Buffy said holding her stake higher.

"Is this what comfort feels like?" Willow asked nervously, "I thought it would feel....comfier."

"I thought it would smell better," Xander said wrinkling his nose at the stench. The three of them took up the width of the tunnel. He glanced over to Buffy who was on the far right, "Which way?"

Buffy frowned, "He couldn't have gotten far. Let's go this way."

The three of them took a couple of steps forward in the disgusting water away from the dim light that filtered from the hole in the tunnel leading to the street. There was a splash as Xander stumbled and fell in the murky water and gave a little gasp. Buffy turned abruptly ready to fight.

"Xander are you okay?" Willow asked squinting in the low light to find her friend.

Xander got up quickly scooting away from the spot where he had tripped. "I think I found him."

"What? You see him? Where is he?" Buffy asked trying to see into the dimness. From what she could tell Xander wasn't being held by a vampire.

"I'm seeing more of him than I'd like to," Xander said with a grimace and nodding to the water. Buffy looked down and saw the remains of a vampire lying on the ground. She could only tell it was a vampire because it had it's game mask on. The rest of it had been disemboweled.

"Eww," Willow said her eyes wide.

Buffy knelt beside the remains to make sure the vampire was dead. She looked for a heart to stake in the soup of organs visible but found none. 

Xander came up behind her, "What could have done that to a vampire?"

"Demon?" Willow offered.

"A vamp killing demon. Not really such a bad thing once you think about it," Xander said wiping his bloody hands on his pants from when he had fallen into the vampire goo. When he got home he was going to take a long shower. Maybe three.

"Unless it does the same thing to humans," Buffy said putting her stake away and pulling a sword out of her bag of weapons. "On to Plan B."

"There was a Plan A?" Willow asked following slightly behind Buffy. 

"Yep. Find. Destroy. Stake, " Buffy frowned, "Kind of redundant now that I think about it."

"And Plan B?" Willow asked.

"Find. Destroy. Chop demon head off."

There was the sound of splashing and the three visibly tensed. Buffy raised her sword as a shape approached. It was a female vamp running straight for them. Buffy quickly pulled out a stake from her back pocket, but was momentarily distracted when the vampire seemingly more concerned with what was behind her, screamed, "It's coming!"

Xander and Willow exchanged looks as they raised their crosses again for protection. Buffy moved in to stake the vampire but she was blocked and thrown against the wall. Then the vampire scrambled up the ladder into the night before Buffy could move. Out of the darkness where the vampire had appeared there came a low growling sound and two red eyes appeared in the darkness.

"Okay, you know that bad feeling I was telling you about?" Xander asked, backing against the wall. "Well, it just got worse."

Buffy stepped forward the sword raised. The demon stepped into the small circle of light, it's red dull red body standing seven feet tall. It made another guttural sound and then sniffed the air. It's red eyes traveled over the three as it crouched. 

"Get out of here," Buffy said to her them, as she sprang forward. Willow was halfway up the ladder with Xander at the bottom when the demon jumped over Buffy. It was now standing between her and her friends. Willow froze on the ladder looking down at the hideous demon. The demon bent down and began sniffing Xander. 

Buffy ran up behind it hoping to distract it she yelled and stabbed at it with the sword. The demon cried out in pain and swatted at her. She rolled away from the clawed hand as Xander jumped on the ladder and began a frantic crawl up.

The demon turned from Buffy and swatted at Xander knocking him into the filthy water. 

"Xander!" Willow screamed, now safely above ground. Buffy ran at the demon who was had picked up a struggling Xander and was holding him by the shirt. She managed to stab it in the stomach causing it to cringe and drop Xander. Buffy raised her sword again, but the demon jumped over her and quickly disappeared into the tunnel it had appeared from. Xander moaned as he sat up, there were three bloody claw marks visible on his shirt.

"Xander, are you all right?" Buffy asked kneeling beside him. The cuts looked deep. 

"Considering I still have all my intestines, yeah."

Buffy held her hand out to help him up. "We'd better go find Giles. This doesn't look good."

Xander nodded as he made his way up the ladder towards a worried looking Willow. Buffy followed looking once more around the tunnel before hoisting herself out.

* * * * *


	2. Ripped

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these wonderful characters. I'm just borrowing them for my own entertainment. 

Spoilers: This is set after "Phases" in Season 2. Oz is a werewolf, Xander and Cordelia haven't come out of the closet (literally), Willow's nowhere near the closet (figuratively and literally) and Angel is Angelus.

Author's Note: This chapter is short, more will be coming shortly. Please take time to review. Constructive Criticism is deeply appreciated. Also, I originally had this story set after "Bad Eggs" but have sense changed it to start after "Phases". Partly because I want Oz in it and because I like Angelus. Face it, evil is sexy.

* * * * *

"Busy night?" Giles asked raising an eyebrow at them as they entered the library. He was sitting at the table in the library pouring over some old text. 

Buffy sighed as she and Willow sat across from him. "Weird night," she said. "I think we have a new demon in town."

"Oh really?" Giles asked a little too eagerly. Things had been slow in Sunnydale and she knew that being idle was unhealthy for her Watcher, but did his eyes have to light up like that? 

"Tall, red and ugly," she said nodding.

"I'm afraid that doesn't narrow it down much," Giles said frowning and adjusting his glasses. 

"It kills vampires," Willow said her voice flat. Buffy glanced over at her pale friend, she knew her mind was elsewhere with a certain boy named Xander.

Giles' hand dropped to his side, "What?"

"Yep, slices and dices them," Buffy said, looking up at him and being surprised to find an astonished look on his face. 

"That narrows it down considerably," Giles said disappearing into his office. He emerged with a large book that she knew he kept locked up in his desk. "Demons who attack vampires are very rare indeed. In fact, I think there is only one demon that feeds off the undead." He flipped through pages and pushed the book under their noses. "Is this the demon you saw?"

Willow and Buffy nodded.

"Remarkable," Giles whispered under his breath. "There haven't been any sightings since the 13th Century."

"Fascinating," Buffy said. "How do I kill it?"

"Well, that is very difficult to determine," Giles said put off by her lack of enthusiasm at his knowledge.

"How difficult is very?" Buffy asked hoping that she could get it over with and take care of it tonight.

"There's no way documented on how to kill him." Giles said.

"What?" Willow asked, her eyes wide. "You mean you can't kill it?"

"We don't know that for sure. There's just no account of anyone killing it in the past," .Giles said looking at Willow's stricken face. 

"It's not as bad as it sounds, though," He said quickly, his eyes skimming down the tiny print in front of him. "The Walken demon has...special circumstances. It doesn't attack humans, only vampires. In fact there may be a way that we can use this demon to your advantage..." 

"It attacked Xander!" Willow said interrupting him. 

"What?" Giles asked, his head jerking up.

Buffy nodded, "It did. Jumped right over me and went directly for him. I managed to distract it but not before it ripped up Xander's shirt. Shame too, it was one of the few shirts he has that I actually liked."

"T-that's impossible," Giles said.

"No, really," Buffy said sincerely. "I don't hate all his shirts, just most of them."

Giles shot her an annoyed look. "Are you sure this is the demon you saw? You're positive?"

"That's it," Willow said, "What's wrong?"

"Where is he?" Giles asked grabbing his coat.

"He got away in the sewer," Buffy said standing. "Are we going to go find him?"

"No," Giles said shaking his head. "Where is Xander?"

Willow stood up also, concern evident in her voice, "He went home, he wasn't feeling well."

"Giles, what's going on?" Buffy asked worry settling on her stomach.

Giles didn't stop to look back as he made a jog for the door, "I'll explain in the car. Xander is in grave danger."

* * * * *

Xander opened the door to his house and shut it behind him. In the hallway he could hear the TV blaring from his left. He peeked into the living room to find his father snoring on the couch, a bottle in his limp hand. His mother was watching TV in the semidarkness, her eyes glued on the screen. Holding his breath he tried to tread lightly behind them to his room. He didn't want his mother seeing his shirt ripped to pieces as it would undoubtedly lead to questions. Questions he couldn't really answer. 

He ducked into his room just as his mother got up to go to the kitchen. He locked the door and gingerly pulled off his shirt. He frowned at his reflection in the mirror. _Stupid demon_, he thought as he looked at the burning claw marks. It was probably female. He always attracted the female demons. Why the hell was that? 

He hissed in pain as he applied peroxide to the cuts. When he was finished his forehead was dotted with sweat. He looked in the mirror one last time before carefully pulling on a clean shirt. 

"At least I can honestly say I'm ripped now," he said smiling grimly to himself. His smile faded as he stared into the mirror. He turned around quickly to the window but saw nothing but the empty night beyond. He let out a shaky breath. For a moment there he had thought he had seen two red eyes staring back at him through the window.

He was just being stupid, though. Tonight had been a close call. Who knew what would have happened if Buffy hadn't saved his life again?

Well...obviously, she wouldn't have saved his life again, but the point was that he was always kind of jumpy after a close call. He still had nightmares about his encounters with the deadly kind. He shivered as he picked up the phone on his desk and called Willow's house. 

For as long as he could remember he had always called Willow when he was feeling jumpy. Even before Buffy and her Slayer madness came to town. Somewhere between Willow's talk about trigonometry or gossip about what was going down in the Science Club he would find peace and rest. More than once he had awakened to the sound of her soft snores over the phone. He never understood why she didn't hang up when he fell asleep, but a part of him was grateful she didn't. He let the phone ring ten times before hanging up. 

She was probably at The Bronze watching Oz. He swallowed the taste of bitterness that came over him. Oz. What did she see in him? All right, so he was in a band, and smart and funny and cool and he had taken a bullet for her...

But he was a freaking werewolf! 

Danger Will Rosenberg, Danger!

Xander fell back on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Then he picked up the phone and dialed. "Hello? Cordelia. It's me...." He paused a moment at her inquiry and sighed. "Xander."


	3. Walken

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these wonderful characters. I'm just borrowing them for my own entertainment. 

Spoilers: This is set after "Phases" in Season 2. Oz is a werewolf, Xander and Cordelia haven't come out of the closet (literally), Willow's nowhere near the closet (figuratively and literally) and Angel is Angelus.

Author's Note: Okay, contrary to what's previously been stated....chapters will run about this length. At least you won't get bored, though. Right?

* * * * *

"When you say 'grave danger', you don't really mean 'grave danger', do you?" Willow asked anxiously from the back seat. "You mean like grave as in dead, right? As in dead danger? As in non-existent danger? Oh no! Or do you mean dead danger! As in Xander's in dead danger?"

"Willow, breathe," Buffy directed as she turned to face Giles. "Giles, explain."

Giles frowned as he sped through a deserted four way stop. "You said that the demon attacked Xander but it ignored you two, correct?"

"Well...yeah," Buffy said scrambling to get her seatbelt on.

Giles shook his head, "It just doesn't make any sense. The Walken Demon only attacks vampires. There's an unbreakable curse attached to it."

"Giles, fast forward," Buffy said. "Okay, we got it. It's impossible. Except it isn't, because it did. How does this put Xander in danger?"

Giles slammed his brakes on as the light turned red causing Willow to cry out as she was propelled forward and hit Buffy's seat hard. "It used to be a Slayer. It hunts vampires, it's prey."

"What?" Buffy said her brow furrowing. "The demon used to be a Slayer? But how?"

"It's very complex," Giles said stomping on the gas as the light turned green. "The thing that concerns us right now is that once it marks it's prey it hunts it until...well, until he finds it and devours it's heart."

"Oh Xander," Willow breathed being forced back into the upholstery with the forward motion of the car. 

* * * * *

"What do you want?" Cordelia asked cradling her phone between her shoulder and ear. There was a pause on the other end of the line and then Xander's voice came across loud and clear.

"Nothing."

Cordelia gave an exasperated sigh. "Then why are you calling me? How'd you get my number anyway?"

"Found it on a bathroom wall," he said. "Though I am disappointed, this hardly qualifies as a good time."

"Whatever. Look, I'm expecting a call from anyone but you. So if you are done tying up my phone..." There was a thud. Cordelia sat up and pressed the phone to her ear. "Xander?"

There was the sound of breaking glass and then she heard a far away sounding Xander say, "Oh shit."

* * * * *

Giles rapped on the door. He could hear the sound of a TV going inside and vaguely heard the sound of two people arguing. He knocked again and the door opened revealing a dark haired woman with her hair in rollers. 

"Good evening, Madame," He began urgently. "I realize it's terribly late but..."

"We don't want any," she said swinging the door shut.

"Mrs. Harris, wait!" Willow said quickly stepping out from behind Giles and stopping the door two inches from shutting. "We've got to talk to Xander!"

She frowned, "He's not here."

"What?" Willow asked, panic overcoming her. "Where is he?"

She crossed her arms and stared down at her. "You tell me. He said he was studying with you."

"He's not here," Buffy said, "Something must have happened to him on the way home."

There was the sound of shattering glass and Mrs. Harris turned towards the hallway. There was a yell and the sound of something heavy being thrown around behind closed doors. 

Buffy pushed past Mrs. Harris and ran down the hallway towards the noise. She was vaguely aware of Mrs. Harris yelling something at her and WIllow and Giles talking at once. There was another thump to her left and she tried to open the locked door that the sound came from behind. "Xander?"

"Buffy, get it out of here!" Came a muffled shout. She threw her weight into the door and it popped open only to be blocked by an over turned dresser. The opening wasn't big enough for her to squeeze through. Through the crack she could see Xander throwing a desk chair at the demon which only seemed to irritate it more. It swiped at him and he ducked causing the razor edge claws to leave swipes in the wall.

Giles ran up beside her, followed by Willow.

"The door is stuck!" Buffy said, "I'm going around."

"Xander!" Willow screamed as the demon knocked him into a wall. 

"Hurry!" Giles called after her as Buffy ran through the open door and made her way to the broken window at the back of the house. 

* * * * *

"Xander!" Cordelia screamed into the phone. She heard the sound of a battle going on at the other end. She had heard Buffy's voice and then he had told her to get it out. Whatever it was. 

Well...whatever it was, it was bad. She heard Willow screaming and other voices and something that sounded like growling....

This was just like him. Just like him to be attacked in by something that growled. Why couldn't she have a normal boyfriend?

No! Not boyfriend! God no!

Closet Kissing Enemy. Yes, he was simply an enemy that she kissed occasionally in utility closets. Nothing more.

The thought didn't comfort her as the sound of the battle was abruptly cut off by the sound of the dial tone.

* * * * *

Xander fell to the floor and struggled to get up as the demon loomed over him. It bent down and sniffed him.

_So this is how I'm going to die_, Xander thought. Call him a romantic, but he was disappointed. First he had thought it would involve ridding the world of some kind of evil. Secondly he had always pictured Buffy holding him to her chest for his last few moments on earth and whispering sweet nothings in his ear.

The demon snorted blowing a thin film of slime from it's nose on Xander. 

_Yep, definitely not romantic_, he thought as his outstretched hand reached for a weapon. Any kind of weapon. At least he'd go out with a fight. 

* * * * *

Special Thanks to all my reviewers. Bolo, somedaydreamer, dragon-reborn5, Ceasare and j.m. Your encouragement is deeply, deeply appreciated.


	4. Drill Team

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these wonderful characters. I'm just borrowing them for my own entertainment. 

Spoilers: You know the drill.

This is set after "Phases" in Season 2. Oz is a werewolf, Xander and Cordelia haven't come out of the closet (literally), Willow's nowhere near the closet (figuratively and literally) and Angel is Angelus.

Author's Note: Willow rules. That is all.

* * * * *

Xander's hand closed on something narrow and heavy. He turned his head and saw that it was the studio lamp that had been knocked to the ground. He grabbed it and swung blindly at the demon's head hoping that the stand would stun it at least momentarily.

The base hit the demon on target only succeeding in snapping it's head to the left and causing it to stumble. Xander quickly got to his feet and by the time the demon had turned it's now enraged attention back to him he was brandishing the lamp as a weapon. 

* * * * *

Buffy jumped the chain link fence that blocked off the Harris' backyard and made for the back of the house. She kicked out the sharp shards of glass at the bottom of the window and jumped through. Xander had somehow managed to get to his feet. She grabbed a trophy from Xander's desk and aimed for the demon's head, then froze, "Hmpf, I didn't know you played baseball."

"Buffy!" Xander cried, "A little focus here!" 

"Oh right," Buffy said, chunking the trophy at the demon. It didn't even turn around. Instead, the demon knocked the lamp out of Xander's hands leaving him lampless. 

"Buffy!" Giles called from behind her. She turned and he threw her a sword through the open window. "Distract him as long as you can, get Xander out here with me."

Buffy nodded and turned back to Xander in time to see the demon lunge at him. Xander ducked and the demon sailing into an open closet.

"Get out!" Buffy called to him. Xander went for the bedroom door, but Willow told him to make for the window. Buffy put herself between the demon and Xander, brandishing her sword. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?"

* * * * *

Xander scrambled out the window, catching his foot and falling painfully on the broken glass shards. Giles grabbed him by the arm and yanked him up.

"Hurry! She won't be able to hold him for long," Giles said pulling him around to the front where his ancient looking car sat in their driveway. Xander yelled in surprise as something grabbed his other arm. 

"What the hell are you doing?" Mr. Harris asked, his face redder than Xander had ever seen it. "I work, put food on the table, so you and your friends can break windows and destroy your room?"

"Dad..."

"Mr. Harris, we have to get him out of here," Giles said, tightening his grip on Xander's left arm and yanking him towards the car. 

Mr. Harris pulled on Xander's right arm which yanked him back towards him and out of Giles grip. He stood only inches from his father's face. "Are you on drugs?" he asked making a disgusted face, he pushed Xander down causing him to land hard enough to knock the wind out of him, "What did I tell you about doing drugs, you good for nothing piece of..."

"You don't understand," Giles said, stepping between Xander and his dad. "Xander's in grave dan--"

Mr. Harris pushed Giles causing him to take a step back before steadying himself, "Who the hell are you?"

"Someone's who is trying to save your son's life, you bloody pillock!" Giles said, loosing his customary cool and pushing him roughly back.

Xander's eyes opened wide as he looked up at the two of them, "Giles!"

"What did you just call me?" Mr. Harris said stepping up to Giles.

Giles sighed, "We don't have time for this." Then he reached back and hit Mr. Harris full force in the face knocking him to the ground. He bent down and grabbed Xander's arm again and commenced with the dragging towards the car. 

"What just happened, here?" Xander asked wildly, looking over his shoulder at his dad slowly getting up. "Did you just deck my dad?"

"Just get in the car!" Giles said releasing his arm and running around to the front to slide behind the wheel. "We don't have much time."

* * * * *

"I'm calling the police!" a hysterical Mrs. Harris said, running for the phone in the living room. 

"No!" Willow said, running after her. "Everything is fine!"

Mrs. Harris looked at her the phone half way up to her ear. "Fine? There's a girl brandishing a sword in my son's bedroom!"

"It's a drill! Yeah...a...um...we're all part of the drill team. So you know what to do if a demon ever attacked. So....pop quiz! What do you do if a demon attacks? You don't call the police, that's what." Willow said pushing the phone down.

Mrs. Harris opened her mouth to answer, but was distracted by the front door opening. "Oh Anthony, what happened?"

Willow turned and saw Mr. Harris holding a bloody nose.

"What do you think happened? His dealer punched me. How many times did I tell you he was no good? How many?"

"Dealer?" Mrs. Harris said frowning.

"Open your eyes woman! He's higher than a kite."

"No!" Willow said causing them to glance her way. "Xander's not on drugs!"

"He's too smart for that," Mrs. Harris said. "He's on the drill team."

"On the drill team?" Mr. Harris said angrily. "My son's a baton twirling fairy?"

"NO!" Willow said dropping the phone. "No! Not that kind of drill team!"

"Dammit, Jessica, If you didn't baby the boy he wouldn't be..."

"Don't you dare blame this on me!" Mrs. Harris screamed back at him. "Don't you dare! Not like you've been a good role model you drunken ..."

Willow jumped as someone touched her elbow.

"It got away," Buffy said. "How much of a head start do they have?"

"I don't know..." Willow said, finding it hard to ignore the screaming couple beside her. "Five minutes maybe."

"We've got to go," Buffy said, then as if noticing the two parents for the first time. "What about them? Won't they wonder..."

Willow shook her head, "Don't worry about them. The longer they fight the longer we have to disappear before they call the cops." Buffy shrugged and walked out the door. "Or the neighbors call the cops on them," Willow muttered as she shut the door softly behind her.

* * * * *

I realize it sounds poor, pitiful Xander like...but it will get better. Promise!

Once again, thanks to my reviewers. Bolo, Steve, J.M., dragon-reborn5.....**you** make my day!


	5. Demon Mojo

****

A/N: I realize that I may have blurred Xander/Cordelia's relationship. Obviously Willow would know about them kissing because she discovers them right before Angel changes back to Angelus. So for the sake of this story the Scooby Gang knows about the secret kissing, but Xander/Cordelia haven't actually admitted to being a couple, couple yet. *nods* Okay, I think that should cover it. 

* * * * *

"I'm terribly sorry about hitting your father, Xander," Giles said. "There wasn't any other way."

"Are you kidding?" Xander asked with a short laugh. "Don't worry, _Ripper_. He won't even remember it in the morning."

"Don't call me that," Giles said seriously, "And I hardly hit him that hard!"

"No. I mean he doesn't remember much the morning after..." Xander twisted in his seat uncomfortably. "So! What the hell was that thing? And why is it after me?"

"It's called the Walken demon. It hunts vampires."

"Yeah, and me. Not a vampire last time I checked."

"Well...yes, we've established that. Though why it is hunting you I'm not sure. Buffy said it didn't seem interested in Willow and her."

"It's a female demon, isn't it?" Xander asked with a sigh.

"At one time it was female, yes. But..."

"I knew it! My demon mojo is out of control, Giles! It's like I'm covered in whipped cream with a cherry on top, but instead of wanting to lick it off they really want to eat me."

"Good God where do you come up with these analogies?"

"I've been reading Cordy's Cosmos. I'm telling you, Giles. Those women know exactly what they are doing with those short skirts and..."

"As I was saying," Giles said, cutting him off. "It was female at one time, but it is so ancient that it most likely doesn't have a sex now. It only concentrates on the kill."

"How does it hunt? I mean how did it find my house after we left it in the sewer?"

"It followed your scent, I imagine."

"Won't it follow my scent to...where are we going?"

"The Library. I can't fathom why it is after you. It would have had to mistaken you as a vampire, somehow. Or something has gone terribly wrong and it's begun attacking humans. In which case, no one is safe."

"Man," Xander said slapping his forehead. "The sewer!"

"What?"

"Tonight in the sewer...I tripped and fell into what was left over from one of it's kill. I got it on my hands and then I wiped them on my pants..."

"And it thought you were the vampire it killed."

"I told Buffy I had a bad feeling about this," Xander said. 

"This isn't good, Xander. The Walken demon is notorious for always getting it's prey."

"Okay. So I change pants as soon as I can, burn these and vampire scent is gone. Then I live out the rest of my days under house arrest by my parents but with all of my intestines intact, right?"

"Not quite," Giles said. "It won't stop hunting you. Though it originally smelt the vampire scent on you, it would have picked up your scent by now. It won't be able to determine the difference."

Xander sighed, "So what do we do?"

"It's quite simple," Giles said pulling into the deserted parking lot.

Xander gave a sigh of relief. "Good, what's the plan?" 

"We research," Giles said getting out of the car.

Xander frowned as he stepped out of the car and followed Giles to the Library door. "Why was I hoping you'd have a better plan?"

* * * * *

"Xander's parents must have been having major wiggins," Buffy said. "Though they were hiding it well under their brave yelling at each other in the face of danger."

"Yeah," Willow said kicking a rock as they walked down the empty street. "They have a love/hate relationship. They love to hate one another."

"Oh," Buffy said surprised that Willow seemed completely serious. A car came speeding down the street, zoomed past them, stopped abruptly amidst the sound of squealing tires and reversed until it's driver was right beside them. "Cordelia?"

"What are you doing in this part of town?" Willow asked bewildered. 

"Looking for you!" Cordelia said. "What's going on? Is everything okay? Is it the end of the world....again?"

"About average on the Hellmouth," Buffy said. "Somewhere between 'Not Right' and 'Armageddon' on the scale of danger."

"Where's Xander?" Cordelia asked, almost as if she was bored, but Buffy saw real concern under her almost flawless performance of cool.

"At the Library. He's fine, for now."

"Oh," Cordelia said taking in a breath. "Okay then. See you there." She shifted the gears.

"Uh, Cordelia..." Willow said annoyed. "Do you think maybe you could give us a ride?"

"Oh, I _guess_," Cordelia said rolling her eyes. "Just don't get used to it, all right? Last I checked my car didn't have Taxi written all over it."

* * * * * 

"Oh no!" Willow said shutting the large book in front of her.

"Do I really want to know?" Xander asked raising an eyebrow at her. They had all been researching the Walken demon for over an hour and every detail unearthed just seemed to make his case look more hopeless.

"I completely forgot about Oz playing tonight!" Willow said frowning over at him. "He was going to play a song he wrote for me."

"He wrote a song for you?" Xander asked. This was getting serious.

"Yes," Willow said pouting in Willow fashion. "Now he's going to play it and look all sad because I'm not there to hear it and before you know it some blonde groupie will be all over him and then he'll write her a song!"

"The Dingoes don't have groupies," Cordelia said. "I don't even know if they have fans."

"They have fans!" WIllow said angrily, "They have tons of fans. Besides, it wasn't too long ago when you were drooling over Devon." 

"That's different!" Cordelia said. "He's the lead singer. And I thought he had a car."

"Will, we've got things under control here if you need to go," Buffy said patting her hand. "You should be able to catch their last thirty minutes."

Willow frowned and glanced over at Xander. He shot her a grin that he hoped she would buy. "Go on. You've got better things to do than research blood thirsty demons."

The guilt in her eyes immediately made him feel bad for trying to make her feel bad. "Really," he said smiling at her. "Go on, it's okay."

"But..."

"Go!" Buffy said handing her the coat draped on the back of Willow's chair. "Have fun. Tell Oz we said hello."

"Are you sure?" Willow asked, still frowning at Xander. 

"Just go already," Cordelia said. 

"Boyfriend stealing groupies...remember," Xander said. "I'll talk to you tomorrow." 

Willow nodded, "Tomorrow." He watched her as she walked out the swinging doors and wondered if she missed the way things used to be between them the way he did.

* * * * *

Willow stepped out into the cool evening air and shivered. She felt horrible. Here Xander was being hunted by a vicious demon and she was on her way to watch her boyfriend play in his band. When had she gotten so shallow?

Things had just become so complicated lately. She felt drawn towards Oz, and she knew he really cared about her. But a part of her still ached for Xander to notice her. Wanted him to realize that she was more than the little Jewish girl who used to share her Twinkies with him during recess. Mostly she just wished these conflicting feelings would just disappear. _Disappear?_

She stopped abruptly an idea hitting her suddenly. Then making a decision she turned and made her way back towards the Library. Oz would just have to understand.

* * * * *

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A/N: Thanks to the reviewers. Feedback is always loved and appreciated.

__

Bolo, good point. Hope this helps. :)


	6. Scentless

****

A/N: I love writing early Buffy! 

* * * * *

"Of course!" Giles said. "Willow that's brilliant."

"Do you think it will work?" she asked biting her lower lip.

"Wait, what are we talking about here?" Xander asked. "A spell?"

"Yes, a protection spell that will make your scent disappear. The demon will be unable to track you."

"That sounds great," Buffy said. "But will it solve our problems? What if Xander isn't the only human the demon has attacked?"

"To our knowledge it hasn't attacked any other humans. We will capture it of course, but this will at least buy Xander some time."

"Time is good. Time is very good." Xander said.

"Time is all we have," Willow said looking at Buffy. "We've read the texts...you know it's almost impossible to kill."

""I like a challenge," Buffy said grinning.

"You _are _challenged," Cordelia said rolling her eyes. 

"We may not have to kill it," Giles said. "The Walken demon may be extremely useful in hunting vampires. Perhaps we can make it work to our advantage."

"Like a really dangerous pet?" Xander asked. "We couldn't just get a puppy?"

"It may even be able to take care of Angelus," Giles said leveling his look at Buffy.

Buffy swallowed, "Well, let's get started. What do you need for the spell?"

"I think I saw a spell in one of these books," Willow said sifting through pages.

"Giles, can I talk to you for a minute?" Buffy asked walking over to Giles. Giles nodded and they disappeared into his office. 

"While you guys do your witch stuff I'm going to get a drink," Cordelia said getting up and making her way towards the swinging doors. 

"She's secretly torn up inside, don't let her shallowness fool you," Xander said watching her leave. He scooted closer to Willow. "Thanks for coming back, Will."

She looked up at him and smiled. "What are best childhood friends for?"

"Well, saving me from impending disembowelment, obviously."

"Yes," Willow said nodding. "I only hope you _won't _have to do the same for me someday."

Xander grinned, "That makes two of us."

* * * * * 

"I knew it. This was all an elaborate excuse to get me naked and stare upon my manly chest."

"First, you're wearing boxers," Cordelia said drawing the symbol from the book on his chest. "Secondly, I've seen twelve year olds with more chest hair."

"I think I'm going to have to agree with Cordelia on that one," Buffy said as she lit the candles around the sand circle Giles had just finished.

"I told you that's hereditary. Hairless but manly, right?" Xander asked raising a questioning eyebrow. "Right?"

Giles cleared his throat. "I think we're ready. Xander get in the middle of the circle." Xander sat cross-legged in the circle facing Giles, with Willow to his right. "Buffy, Cordelia, take your places. Now while I'm chanting the incantation you three be picturing the demon in your mind's eye. No matter what happens don't leave the circle, understand?"

Cordelia nodded at him with the other girls. She was getting tired and hoped this wouldn't take long. She was ready to go home and fall into bed. She shut her eyes as Giles began chanting and tried to concentrate on the picture of the demon in the book Giles had shown her. It was ugly, but then again all demons were.

Suddenly she saw it in color running through the woods. It was chasing someone or something. The person it was chasing stumbled and when it turned to look at the demon it's face was that of a vampire. It got up quickly and continued to run but the demon was gaining on it.

Cordelia was vaguely aware of Giles' voice getting louder and stronger. Of wind whipping her hair around her face and then just as the demon had caught up with the vampire there was a bright light and she opened her eyes to find herself back at the Library.

The candles had been blown out and Giles looked worn and was breathing heavily. Buffy and Willow looked slightly startled and Xander was lying limply on the ground where he had been sitting before. "Is that it?" she asked.

Willow got to her knees and crawled over to Xander's limp form. "Xander?"

She touched his shoulder gently and his eyes fluttered open.

"Are you alright?" Willow asked frowning down at him.

His eyes looked slightly gazed as he looked at her and then at the others as they crowded around. 

"That spell was more powerful than I initially thought," Giles said. "Are you okay, Xander?"

Xander looked up at him his face blank, "Who are you?"

There was a moment of silence as the four exchanged looks and then Buffy shook her head and grinned. "Nice try, Xander. I'm not going to fall for that 'I've hit my head and have amnesia' scam again. You tried it last week, remember? Wait, I guess if you have amnesia, you wouldn't remember, would you?"

"He tried to get me to do his Spanish homework," Willow said helping him up and smiling at him. "Now we just have to hope it worked and the Walken demon will leave you alone."

"Can we go home now?" Cordelia asked. "Some of us need our beauty sleep."

"Are you sure you're alright, Xander?" Giles asked frowning at him.

Xander gave him a puzzled look and then broke out into a smile. "I'm fine." He said. "Better than fine, actually."

* * * * *

Xander opened his eyes to find himself surrounded by tall trees. He looked down and saw the mangled body of what had been a vampire recently. His mind raced as he tried to think of how he had ended up in the woods when just a few minutes ago he had been in the Library. He looked around desperately for the others and opened his mouth to call out their names but all that came out was a low growl. His stomach dropped as he noticed his hands for the first time. No longer his own they were now covered in dull red scales. He looked down at the rest of his body to find that it was no longer his own but that of the demon that had been in his bedroom only hours earlier. He stood there in shock for a second and then he did the only thing he could think of.

He began to run.

* * * * *

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A/N: Please, please, please review! While I enjoy writing this story I'm not sure if it's as fun to read. It's always good to know these things.


	7. Floored

* * * * *

"What are you going to do for tonight?" Willow whispered as she picked up the used candles.

"Tonight?" Xander asked blankly.

"Well you can't really go home. I mean your parents were really going at it." He frowned and she hurried on. "You could spend the night at my house. It'll be like old times...except without the s'mores. Oh, and I wouldn't make you play Clue until two in the morning because I know you hate it when I win, which was every time we play. Not that we would play, because we're kind of old for playing Clue and it's a school night and..."

"Excuse me?" Cordelia said from behind them. They turned and faced her.

"My boyfriend is not spending the night at your house." 

"Boyfriend?" Xander asked looking at Cordelia as if for the first time.

"Well....only in the loosest sense," Cordelia said grudgingly. "If you tell anyone I _will _deny it."

"Well, he can't go home," Willow said tersely, feeling her stomach knot up at Cordelia using the b-word. Buffy shot her a sympathetic look from behind Cordelia.

"I guess he can come home with me," Cordelia said frowning. "I can sneak him in the back way...Rosmerta should be asleep by now..."

"Rosmerta?" Buffy asked.

"The maid," Cordelia said arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her. 

"Enough," Giles said interrupting them. "Xander you can sleep on my couch tonight. I owe you that for creating friction between you and your father."

"Are you sure?" Willow asked. "My mom won't mind."

"I mind. And don't you think Oz would mind?" Cordelia said pointedly.

"No," Willow said quickly, not really knowing whether her laid back boyfriend would mind or not. "It's just Xander."

"Guys," Buffy said stepping up to them. "We're all tired. Xander will go home with Giles and we can all get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll figure out how to catch this thing."

"Fine," Cordelia said walking over and kissing Xander on the lips. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Xander nodded looking slightly taken aback by the kiss. Willow watched as his eyes followed Cordelia walk out the door. She stepped up to him. 

"See you tomorrow," she said awkwardly getting another nod in return. 

She turned to a waiting Buffy and started the short walk home.

* * * * *

The Library. He had to get to the Library. Something had gone terribly wrong. He ran blindly through the woods not knowing where he was going. North, South, East or West, they didn't mean anything in the never ending trees. Not for the first time he wished he had paid attention in Boy Scouts. He had tried drawing upon the knowledge that he had gained as a Halloween soldier, but came up blank.

He heard a car horn a little ways off and his pointy ears pricked up as he made his way in the direction it had come from. After what seemed like hours he came out on a clearing occupied by four or five cars with couples in them. He realized he was on Make-Out point, where he and Cordelia had been attacked by Oz less than a month ago. Occupied couples were oblivious to his presence as he ran past them and down the highway that led to town.

He heard a car coming up the road and instinctively moved to the brush by the side of the road. As the car grew nearer he was able to make out it's sleek form past the headlights with and then the license plate that read "Queen C". _Cordy!_

He jumped out of the bushes and stood in the middle of the road expecting her to slam on her brakes. He had to talk to her, had to convince her that it was him. He saw her scream as she approached and then a split second later he saw determination cross her face as the car sped up.

_She's not going to stop! _His brain screamed at him. He tried to run for the cover of the bushes again but he had hesitated too long. He roared in pain as the car hit him full force in the side sending him flying over the bushes and rolling down the steep side of the hill. After what seemed an eternity he finally came to a stop at the bottom of the hill. His head was spinning as he stared up at the stars in the sky. 

_She hit me_, he thought to himself, _That crazy girl hit me_.

It was his last thought before the pain made him black out.

* * * * *

"I'm telling you, Giles, it tried to attack me!" Cordelia said as she followed him around the library the next morning.

"Are you sure?" He asked pouring his morning tea into a cup.

"Yes! That thing was after me."

"How did you get away?" Giles asked curiously as he took a sip of tea.

"I hit it," Cordelia said.

"Cordelia," Giles said pausing in his tea drinking to give her a reproachful look. "The Walken demon is very dangerous and shouldn't be trifled with. Especially if it was really trying to attack you. If it was really after you, you wouldn't have gotten away. I can't imagine how you managed to escape just by punching it, unless, as I suspect, it wasn't interested in you in the first place."

"Oh yes, because it didn't go after Xander at all did it? Face it Giles, that thing has it out for humans now. Besides, how dense do you think I am?" Cordelia said, "Punching it? Please! I hit it with my car."

"You what?" Giles asked spluttering his tea all over his tweed vest.

"Daddy's going to kill me too. It left a huge dent. Do you think he'll believe me if I say I hit a deer?"

"You hit a deer?" Willow asked her eyes big and sad. Cordelia turned to see Oz and her at the counter having walked in at the end of the conversation. 

Cordelia sighed. "I hit the demon, it was after me. Can we move on?" She turned back to Giles. "I told him I was attacked by a bear when wolf boy here decided to shred my hood. I don't know how many wildlife stories he'll buy."

"Yeah," Oz said, "Sorry about that."

"Where did you hit it?" Giles asked.

"Near Make-Out Point."

"In the woods?" Willow said softly. "When we were doing the spell I could see it running through the woods."

"Me too," Cordelia said nodding.

"Yes, well in a way we were channeling it," Giles said. "We had to picture it in order to erase Xander's scent from it's senses."

"Where is Xander?" Cordelia asked looking around the library.

"He and Buffy went for donuts,"

"Ooh! Jellies?" Willow asked eagerly.

"Jellies, cream filled, plain, you name it," Buffy said emerging from behind the bookshelves that led to the back exit. Xander carried a large box of donuts and set it on the table. "Breakfast of Champions."

"Breakfast of fatties," Cordelia said eying the box. "Oh, is that one with sprinkles?"

Xander picked it up and held it out to her. "Go on. You're too skinny anyway."

Cordelia opened her mouth to say something in response and then realized that he had just complimented her....sort of. She blinked in surprise and took the donut. She wondered if the whole boyfriend comment last night had gone to his head. She hoped not. It wasn't like she was ready to make it well known that she, Cordelia Chase, a May Queen, was dating Xander Harris, Loser Boy.

They took their seats around the table, each one grabbing a donut and falling into the routine that they had developed over the last couple of months. Buffy opened up the discussion by getting straight tot he point. "So, Giles. What's the plan on capturing this thing? And what do we do with it after we capture it?"

"It simplifies things quite a bit now that we know that it isn't attacking humans," Giles said. "At least now we won't have to worry about our safety, unless we prompt it to violent action."

"Hello!" Cordelia said setting her donut down in disgust. "Did you not hear a word I said? _It came after me_."

"It did?" Buffy asked shooting a shocked look in Giles' direction. 

"Last night, when I was driving home. It was just waiting for me there in the middle of the highway."

"And it attacked you?" Xander asked looking confused.

"I didn't give it a chance to," Cordelia said. "I floored it and went at it."

Xander laughed. "You hit him?"

Cordelia hit his arm, "It's not funny, Xander. It dented my car."

This only made Xander laugh harder.

"She's right Xander, it's not funny," Buffy said. "Giles if this thing is attacking people we have to stop it."

"I'm not sure that was an actual attack," Giles said frowning. "It hardly matches the way that the Walken demon attacks it's prey. And from what we saw while doing the spell, chances are it just ate. Which makes it very unlikely that it would venture another kill so soon afterwards"

"That didn't stop it from attacking Xander," Willow said speaking up.

"That's different," Giles said. "It sniffed the dead vampires' blood on Xander. It was fooled into thinking that Xander was the vampire reincarnated. There is a very powerful curse binding the demon to attacking vampires only."

"But it can be tricked into killing despite that curse," Buffy said glancing at the disturbed look on Xander's face. "I'll feel safer once we got that thing off the streets of Sunnydale."

"Well I was hoping that perhaps we'd be able to observe it for a bit. It hasn't been spotted in over seven hundred years. It's feeding habits alone would be fascinating to document ..." he trailed off at the unbelieving looks of the teenagers staring back at him. He sighed. "Oh very well then, we'll capture it tonight. Is anyone going to eat that last jelly?"

* * * * *

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A/N: I'm glad you're enjoying the story. Much more to come! Please review.


	8. Do Your Own Thing

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A/N: Look, longer chapters! See...I knew they'd be longer eventually. Thanks to Dani who always inspires me and puts up with my Buffy Brain.

* * * * *

Buffy scanned the busy cafeteria for her friends with no luck. Even Cordelia was missing from her customary place at the head of the Popular table.

"Hey Buff," Willow said, stepping beside her.

"Willow! Thank God. I was about to have to go and do that awkward sit-by-myself thing. I hate that thing."

"What about Xander? Where is he?"

"Maybe the real question is where is Cordelia?" Buffy said nodding towards the leaderless group of Cordettes. 

"Oh," Willow said, her face falling. "Stupid question." They sat down at a table by the windows.

"It bothers you," Buffy said opening her soda and fixing her best friend with a tell-all look. It wasn't a question.

"No," Willow said putting on her resolve face. "If he wants to make out with Cordelia Chase -- a girl who has made our lives Hell since Junior High, mind you -- then I'm perfectly fine. Who cares, right? Let their hormones take them where they will. I've got Oz!"

"That's the spirit," Buffy said smiling

"Except," she said chewing her lower lip, "What if one day Oz sees me for the real person I am? What if he suddenly realizes that I'm not an Eskimo vixen, I'm just Willow? Oh...OH! What if he just runs away from me screaming?"

"You mean like I'm going to do if you don't shut up?" Buffy said throwing a small piece of bread at her. "Willow you're great. Oz is great. Together you're greatness."

"He is great, isn't he?" Willow said smiling faintly. Buffy was startled as someone set a tray full of food in front of her. Her usually acute Slayer senses hadn't even registered anyone approaching their table. She looked up as Xander plopped down in the seat in front of her. Willow smiled at him as she emptied the contents of her sack lunch on the table, "Hey."

"Hey," Xander said, his voice unusually flat.

"Curb your enthusiasm," Buffy said. "Anymore emotion and you'd be dead."

"Yeah, you look like someone just died," Willow said. Her smile faded quickly. "Oh, God, nobody died, did they?"

He shook his head. "No."

"What's wrong, then?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know," he said shrugging. "I guess....I guess I just thought things would be different this time around."

"What things?" Willow asked.

"Everything," he said looking up at them. "I mean, here I am. A man, right?" He ignored Buffy's remark of "Questionable". "And I'm free. No destinies or curses hanging over my head, and what do I do? I'm stuck in a building with children. I'm not even that bright! Though, not really much of a surprise, as I said before....man now. And I have all these conflicting emotions going through my head, making it really hard to concentrate."

Buffy and Willow exchanged a look. "I think I speak for both of us when I say 'Huh'?" Buffy said raising an eyebrow. 

He looked up at them and shook his head, "Nevermind. You wouldn't understand."

"Why do you keep saying you're a man now?" Willow asked, then went pale. "Oh God, you and Cordelia didn't..."

"Didn't what?" He asked poking at his food.

"No way!" Buffy said putting down her fork. 

"What?" he asked slightly annoyed.

"You know," Willow said swallowing. 

"No I don't," he said. 

"Did you and Cordelia have sex?" Buffy whispered.

He raised his eyebrows and then concentrated really hard. "No, but I think about it alot."

"Xander!" Willow said a look mixed with relief and horror on her face. 

"I think about it all the time, actually. But not just with her." He said giving them a meaningful look.

"If you know what's best for you you'll stop right there," Buffy said trying to look stern, though inside she wanted to laugh. Xander shrugged and began picking at his food. "So, Will, what's for lunch?"

"Peanut Butter and Jelly," Willow said unwrapping the saran-wrap and taking a bite. "Brain food to help me prepare for my test in Algebraaaaaaah!"

Xander and Buffy looked up at her startled.

"Are you alright?" Buffy asked patting her back roughly, as Willow choked down her sandwich. 

"Xander, what are you doing?" she shrieked when she had been able to speak again.

"What? I didn't do anything," he said his eyes wide.

Willow grabbed the spoon that was frozen halfway between his plate and his mouth. "You know you're allergic to peas!"

Xander frowned at her, looked down at his plate and then back at her. "I am?"

"Oh nothing major," Willow said sarcastically. "You just break out into this rash and swell up so that you can't breathe! Or have you forgotten the Tuna Surprise incident in Second Grade when you almost _died_?" Willow asked almost in tears at the mere memory of it.

Xander pushed the tray away from him and looked up at them, his eyes troubled. "I guess I forgot."

"You forgot you were deathly allergic to peas?" Buffy asked unbelievingly.

"Yeah," he said looking again as if he was concentrating really hard. "Guess so."

"Xander are you feeling okay?" Willow asked reaching out and touching his hand. 

"Not really," he said "I can't concentrate with all this stuff going on."

"Xander, talk to us. What's going on?" Buffy asked alarmed at the frustration in his voice..

"I just need to get away," he said looking up at them. "Away from all of this. Away from all of you."

"Xander..."

"Just leave me alone," he said standing up. He turned and walked away from them. Buffy held out a hand to stop Willow from following.

"Willow, wait. Maybe we should just give him some space. He's probably just stressed about his parents,"

Willow looked doubtful but nodded as she sat back down. "Yeah, you're probably right. We'll talk to him during fifth."

* * * * *

"Xander Harris!" Cordelia said marching up to his locker. "Where have you been? I've been waiting in the Boiler Room for thirty minutes!"

"What were you doing in the Boiler -- Oh," he said as if a light was going on behind that thick skull of his. "Sorry."

"Sorry?"

"I forgot."

"Let me guess. You were in the Library researching something for The Slayer?"

"Well..."

"You are so hopeless! You do whatever they tell you to! Be a man! Stand up for yourself," Cordelia said crossing her arms. "Now get to the Boiler Room, we've only got twenty minutes left of lunch."

Xander stared blankly at her and then he shook his head. "No."

"No?" She asked incredulous.

"No," he said firmly, tossing his bag over his shoulder. "I don't think so."

Cordelia's mouth went dry. Not at the thought of not making out with Xander. God, she wasn't that pathetic. It wasn't like she lived for those stolen moments in the Boiler Room or in some Janitor's closet with her back pressed uncomfortably against a concrete wall or steel shelf, her heart pounding, as his mouth was pressed to hers. It wasn't him that left her feeling light headed and her knees week. It was probably the fumes from the cleaning chemicals...

She snapped out of her thoughts, suddenly realizing he was walking away from her. "Xander," she said grabbing his arm and not getting a few looks from a group of Basketball players leaning against the wall. She must have startled him because he spun around and threw her arm off him. The force of his motion sent her backing into the lockers where she hit her head. She stared at him in shock as the Basketball players straightened in their slouches and looked ready to interfere on her part. For a fleeting moment she was scared of him, but that was quickly replaced by anger. How dare he startle her like that. What was his problem? She searched his face to see if this was some kind of sick joke, but there was no humor in his eyes. 

"What's your problem, Harris?" she said in a low voice. Surprised and angry at her voice for shaking slightly.

"No problem," he said. "Just stay out of my way." Then he walked out the doors into the sunlight. Cordelia already felt a killer headache coming on. The Basketball players, mostly Seniors, were giving her curious glances. She turned away from them and made her way to the girl's bathroom.

_Great_, she thought to herself as she touched up her make-up in front of the mirror. _This is going to be all over school by the end of the day_. She didn't know what his problem was, but it didn't matter. No one treated Cordelia Chase that way. Especially not Xander Harris.

* * * * *

Xander opened his eyes revealing a bright blue sky overhead. His voice uttered a low and painful growl as he tried to move. The sound was unfamiliar and lonely in his ears. Last night came flooding back to him as he slowly and painfully got up. 

Cordy had hit him. 

Intentionally.

He didn't know whether to be proud or furious. 

He looked up at the steep hill where he could dimly hear cars passing on the highway. The sun seemed too bright on his sensitive eyes and his skin felt like it was burning. The thought of getting all the way across town in this kind of heat seemed impossible. He'd probably spontaneously combust before he got half way there.

He wondered where he could go to wait out the day and then suddenly the answer came to him. In his mind's eye he saw a cave and somehow he knew it was the demon's nest. He also knew that it was nearby. There, was shade and water. He felt himself being guided as his feet almost seemed to move on their own accord towards the dark cave that beckoned him home. He tried to think about what he was going to do. How he was going to approach his friends. He wondered if they realized what had happened. He wondered what had happened to turn him into the very demon that had tried to eat him for dinner. Dinner. Yes, later he would go and find himself some dinner. Perhaps that female vampire that got away last night. He could still smell her fear. His mind wandered as he traveled in what little shade there was until he reached the cave. The cool rock floor of the cave felt refreshing against his burning skin as he collapsed to the floor exhausted and aching all over from being hit by a flashy red car. He wondered if Vampires' skin burned like this in the sun. He imagined Angelus catching fire and burning before his eyes and smiled to himself as he drifted off to sleep. 

* * * * *

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A/N: Someone said this story was strange. I wholeheartedly agree. I've never read or written anything like it. And I know this is very unprofessional of me...but can you keep a secret? Even _I _don't know where this is headed. So strap in. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Please review!


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